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CCS® and CPC® Exams: What You Need to Know

By DeVry University

The information presented here is true and accurate as of the date of publication. DeVry’s programmatic offerings and their accreditations are subject to change. Please refer to the current academic catalog for details.

May 13, 2023

6 min read

If you’re interested in becoming a medical billing and coding specialist, getting certified can be an important step toward that goal. There are two primary certifying bodies in the United States: The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).

AHIMA offers three medical billing and coding certifications: 

  • Certified Coding Associate (CCA®)

  • Certified Coding Specialist (CCS®)

  • Certified Coding Specialist – Physician-based (CCS-P®) 

AAPC offers five medical billing and coding certifications: 

  • Certified Professional Coder (CPC®)

  • Certified Outpatient Code (COC™)

  • Certified Inpatient Coder (CIC™)

  • Certified Risk Adjustment Coder (CRC™)

  • Specialty Medical Coding Certification 

While some roles may require you to earn a specific credential, passing any of these medical billing and coding exams can help you demonstrate your knowledge and skills to future employers.

The coursework in DeVry University’s Undergraduate Certificate in Medical Billing and Coding and Medical Billing and Coding – Health Information Coding certificate programs includes material addressed in the CPC® and CCS® certification exams, which may be helpful as you prepare to pursue industry certifications after you graduate.

What is the Certified Professional Coder (CPC®) Exam?

Passing Score: 70% or higher

Length: 4 hours

Exam Format: 100 multiple-choice questions

Location: Online or In-Person

Exam Cost: $499

The Certified Professional Coder (CPC®) exam is offered through the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and applies to medical coding done in outpatient or medical providers’ office settings.

The multiple-choice CPC® Exam covers 17 different knowledge domains. Its 100 questions focus mostly on the proper application of CPT® procedure codes, HCPCS Level II supply codes and ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes, which are all used by medical providers to submit claims to payers. It lasts 4 hours, and a passing score is 70%. The AAPC offers the CPC® exam online or in-person at a physical testing center. 

How to Prepare for the CPC® Exam

The AAPC offers several resources to help you prepare for its CPC® certification exam, including a certification prep course, a one-day exam review and a Study Guide that covers all the content sections found on the exam. The Study Guide also provides practical examples, sample CPC® exam questions and test-taking techniques. Detailed information about each of these exam prep tools and AAPC member and non-member pricing can be found on the CPC® exam site.

What is the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS®) Exam?

Passing Score: 300

Length: 4 hours

Exam Format: 115-140 questions

Location: In-Person

Exam Cost: $399 non-member, $299 member

The CCS® exam is AHIMA’s more advanced test, designed for experienced coding professionals. The 4-hour, computer-based exam consists of 115 to 140 items, divided into 2 sections: multiple choice and medical scenario. A minimum score of 300 is needed to pass.

How to Prepare for the CCS® Exam

AHIMA recommends that candidates for this advanced credential have either 2 years of coding experience, or another coding credential and 1 year of experience. You will also need strong foundational knowledge in areas such as anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, pathophysiology and reimbursement methodology. 

Which Medical Billing and Coding Certification Should I Pursue?

Deciding which certification is the best fit for you starts with understanding where you are in your career journey and knowing your professional goals. Comparing the core differences between the CPC® and CCS® credentials may help give you some perspective, as well as asking yourself some questions: 

  • How much experience do you have as a medical coder? How can you gain experience if you’re new to the field?

  • Are you able to meet the CCS® certification’s more advanced prerequisites, or should you start with the CPC® certification?

  • Are you more interested in an inpatient environment like a hospital, or an outpatient setting like a physician’s office?

Figuring out what you’ve already accomplished and what you need to work toward will help you figure out which certification is right for you.

Medical Billing and Coding Exam Prep

Once you’ve identified which certification you want to pursue, you will then need to prepare for your exam. Some people choose to do this on their own, but for many students, a formal certificate program is a good way to help ensure that they have all the knowledge, skills and practice they need to pass their chosen exam.

At DeVry, we offer two different Medical Billing and Coding certificate programs which include built-in CPC® and CCS® exam prep. Both programs cover similar material, but which certificate you enroll in depends primarily on the specific skills you want to gain and which industry certification you want to eventually pursue.

Medical Billing and Coding Undergraduate Certificate Program

Our Medical Billing and Coding Undergraduate Certificate program is most appropriate for those who are looking to gain core skills in billing and coding. During this certificate program, you’ll develop a strong understanding of many of the concepts and skills you’ll need to pursue entry-level roles in the industry. These include fundamental health courses such as anatomy and physiology, as well as medical terminology, health information processes, ICD coding and other health information technology courses along with a dedicated CPC® review course.

For the Coding Practicum and Review (CPC® Exam) course, students who earn an 85% or higher in the course can earn a voucher for the CPC® exam. The voucher code is valid for 60 days. 

Medical Billing and Coding – Health Information Coding Undergraduate Certificate Program

Our Medical Billing and Coding – Health Information Coding certificate program covers all the material in our medical billing and coding program alongside advanced coding, pathopharmacology and a coding practicum course. Exam prep for the CCS® exam is built into this program in the form of a review course.

For the CCS® Review (CCS® Exam) course, students who earn an 85% or higher in the course can earn a voucher for the CCS® exam. The voucher code is valid for 60 days. 

Regardless of the path you choose, you may need to meet additional requirements to become fully certified, including becoming a member of the AAPC or the AHIMA after passing your certification exam. Those who pass the CPC® exam are considered apprentices until they gain 2 years of coding experience.

At DeVry, medical billing and coding students receive complimentary AAPC Student Membership, a tool that provides career resources to assist you in your career journey. While Medical Billing and Coding – Health Information Coding students receive a complimentary AHIMA Student Membership.

Our Undergraduate Certificate in Medical Billing and Coding programs include our Digital Health Core series of courses, which we designed to help our students develop a set of interdisciplinary skills for today's rapidly evolving health information field. Courses in this series explore many of the principles used throughout the healthcare ecosystem and expose students to essential topics related to medical terminology, compliance, ethics, electronic medical records, patient privacy and digital aspects of the healthcare delivery system.

The Digital Health Core curriculum also provides students hands-on experience with industry-standard software systems and simulated patient records. 

Prepare to Pursue Your Medical Billing and Coding Career at DeVry

If a career in medical billing and coding sounds like a good fit for you, DeVry can help get you started with our online Undergraduate Certificate in Medical Billing and Coding. With coursework covering medical terminology, health services and information systems, health insurance and reimbursement and more, this 100% online program provides hands-on experience with industry standard software and simulated patient records as well as help you prepare to pursue the CPC® and CCS® exams.

At DeVry, online sessions starting every 8 weeks enable you to learn on the schedule that works best for you. You can earn your Undergraduate Certificate in Medical Billing and Coding in as little as 10 months on an accelerated schedule or follow a normal schedule and complete the program in 1 year and 2 months.1 Classes start soon!

1Normal schedule does not include breaks and assumes 2 semesters of year-round, full-time enrollment in 6-13 credit hours a semester per 12 month period. Accelerated schedule does not include breaks and assumes 3 semesters of year-round, full-time enrollment in 6-13 credit hours a semester per 12 month period.

8-Week Class Sessions

Classes Start January 6, 2025

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